How to Tell When it’s Time for a New Website

September 5, 2017
Daniel Decker

Does your law firm need a new website? How can you tell?

Let’s break it down. It’s probably time for a new website if…

Your current website is not mobile-friendly. Approximately 50% of website traffic these days occurs on a mobile device – a smartphone or a tablet. So if your website isn’t mobile-optimized, a huge percentage of the visitors to your site are going to have a poor experience. And, major search engines will not even display your website in mobile search results if it’s not optimized for mobile. In other words, if someone runs a Google search on their phone, and your website isn’t mobile-friendly, it won’t even show up in the search results.

Your design is outdated. First let’s be clear – you don’t need a new website design every year, or even every couple of years. But you also don’t want to end up with a website that feels obsolete. My advice is to keep an eye on the websites of other leading firms in your market. If it’s clear that your website is being “left behind,” it’s time to think about a new website. A website that is visibly outdated can cause visitors to question your commitment to your practice and wonder how engaged you are.

Your brand or your target market has evolved. Your website should reflect your brand and it should be calibrated to appeal to your target market. So if your brand has evolved significantly, or if your target market has changed significantly, it’s probably time for a new website. In some cases, you can simply tweak your content to reflect these changes, but if you’re looking for a wholesale re-brand or targeting a brand new market, it’s likely more efficient to start with a clean slate.

Your website doesn’t support video and other media. Video is a critical component of an effective law firm website. (Check out this blog entry if you’d like to know why.) If your current website doesn’t support video (or does it poorly) it’s time to upgrade. In addition, other “educational” content such as a blog, White Paper, or Free Report is  very important. This type of content positions you as an expert and reinforces your authority, while also providing value and creating trust with visitors to your site. So if your website can’t support these tools, you need a new website.

Your website isn’t secure. Thousands of websites are hacked every single day. It’s important that you keep your website (and the underlying software that powers it) up to date when it comes to security. Without protection in place, your website is potentially vulnerable to hackers – which can be embarrassing and expensive. While there is no guarantee that even a cutting-edge website won’t be hacked, you can drastically reduce your vulnerability and reduce the chances that you’ll be targeted.

Remember, your website creates the first impression of your law firm for many potential clients. It’s important that you’re putting your best foot forward. If you’d like to know more, my team would love to chat with you. Click here to request more information.

 

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Daniel Decker

Daniel Decker is a co-founder and Partner at Spotlight Branding. In addition to helping lawyers stand out from the crowd, he spends his time writing, dreaming up new marketing strategies, and coming up with catchy subject lines. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys playing sports, guitar, politics, and Minnesota sports.